14<\/strong>. let us flee<\/em> ] For the moment David’s courage seems to have failed him. The calamities predicted by Nathan (ch. 2Sa 12:11<\/span>), stared him in the face: a sack of Jerusalem with all the horrors of civil war seemed imminent: he could not face them, and retreat proved in the end to be the wisest course. Time was gained; the first violence of rebellion spent itself; his loyal subjects recovered from their alarm and rallied to defend him. Ahithophel was perfectly right in discerning that delay would be fatal to the enterprise (ch. 2Sa 17:1-2<\/span>).<\/p>\n And smite the city – <\/B>Davids kind nature induced him to spare Jerusalem the horrors of a siege, and the risk of being taken by assault. He had no standing army with which to resist this sudden attack from so unexpected a quarter. Possibly too he remembered Nathans prophecy 2Sa 12:10-12<\/span>.<\/P> <\/p>\n 2Sa 15:14-24<\/span><\/p>\n Arise and let us flee.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n Davids flight<\/strong><\/p>\n The motive for the flight was probably a patriotic one. David would not, let the city be destroyed by civil war. Like Louis Philippe, he could: not hear to shed his peoples blood. This tenderness of disposition, so unlike the spirit of the times, is characteristic of him. (1Ch 21:17<\/span>.)<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>Notice the different classes of people who went out with the king, displaying different aspects of loyalty.<\/p>\n (1)<\/strong> The servants of the <\/strong>household (2Sa 15:15<\/span>). Unqualified obedience, whatsoever (Joh 2:5<\/span>; Joh 15:14<\/span>).<\/p>\n (2)<\/strong> The sympathising people.<\/p>\n (3)<\/strong> The bodyguard. Cherethites and Pelethites (1Ki 1:38-44<\/span>). (Foreigners, Eze 25:16; 1Sa 30:14<\/span>; Eph 2:19<\/span>.)<\/p>\n (4)<\/strong> Ittai and his Gittites–mercenaries become volunteers. Story of Ittai. From Gath, a Philistine city, probably (2Sa 15:19<\/span>), an exile from his own country, who had taken refuge with David.<\/p>\n The special lessons he teaches. True service must be voluntary. (Psa 40:8<\/span>; Deu 28:47<\/span>.) Whose service is perfect freedom. It becomes so in proportion as we know and love the one served. (2Co 5:14<\/span>; Son 1:4<\/span>.) Duty a lower motive-power than love. (Duty would have constrained Ittai to fight well, but not to endure exile.) All soul-satisfying religion centres round a person, not a system, or a doctrine. Believe on the Lord Jesus <\/strong>Christ, not only in His work for you. A man the real object of love and trust. The God-man–Emmanuel. (R. E. Faulkner<\/em>.)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n David retires from the capital to the east of the Jordan<\/strong><\/p>\n David is evidently taken completely by surprise. The reasons for his hasty resolution to leave his fortified capital are not clear from the narrative before us. Had he grounds for suspecting the loyalty of the population, perhaps still predominantly Jebusite? Of no single day in the whole course of the recorded history of the Hebrews have we so detailed a record as we have of the day on which David fled before his undutiful son. From the time when, in the morning hours: he passed in haste through the eastern gate until, before the next day dawned (2Sa 17:22<\/span>),. he and all his following had safely crossed the Jordan, every hour is crowded with life and incident, and every line of the narrative is instinct with the emotions and impulses, good and bad, that mould the lives of men. (Century Bible<\/em>.)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n A kings flight from his capital<\/strong><\/p>\n James II. was fleeing from his English subjects. At three in the morning of Tuesday, the 11th of December, James rose, took the great seal in his hand, laid his commands on Northumberland not to open the door of the bed-chamber till the usual hour, and disappeared through a secret passage . . . Sir Edward Hales was in attendance with a hackney coach. James was conveyed to Milbank, where he crossed the Thames in a small wherry. As he passed Lambeth he flung the great seal into the midst of the stream, whence, after many months, it was accidentally caught by a fishing-net and dragged up. (Macaulays England<\/em>.)<\/p>\n Verse 14<\/span>. David said – Arise – let us flee<\/B><\/I>] This, I believe, was the first time that David turned his back to his enemies. And why did he now flee? Jerusalem, far from not being in a state to sustain a siege, was so strong that even the blind and the lame were supposed to be a sufficient defence for the walls, see 2Sa 5:6<\/span>. And he had still with him his faithful Cherethites<\/I> and Pelethites<\/I>; besides six hundred faithful Gittites, who were perfectly willing to follow his fortunes. There does not appear any reason why such a person, in such circumstances, should not act on the defensive<\/I>; at least till he should be fully satisfied of the real complexion of affairs. But he appears to take all as coming from the hand of<\/I> God<\/I>; therefore he humbles himself, weeps, goes barefoot, and covers his head! He does not even hasten<\/I> his departure, for the habit of mourners is not the habit of those who are flying<\/I> before the face of their enemies. He sees the storm, and he yields to what he conceives to be the tempest of the Almighty.<\/P> <\/p>\n Arise, and let us flee; <\/B>for though the fort of Zion was strong and impregnable, and he might have defended himself there; yet he had not laid in provisions for a long siege; and, if he had been once besieged there, Absalom would have got speedy and quiet possession of his whole kingdom; whereas if he marched abroad, he might raise a considerable army for his defence, and the suppression of the rebels. Besides, the greatest part of Jerusalem could not be well defended against him. And he suspected that a great number of the citizens might take part with Absalom, and possibly deliver him up into Absaloms hands. Besides, if he had made that the seat of the war, he feared the destruction of that city, which he vehemently desired to preserve, because it was the chief and royal city, and the place in which God had appointed to put his name and worship. Moreover, when David considered that Gods hand was now against him, and that he was now bringing evil upon him out of his own house<\/I>, as he had threatened, 2Sa 12:11<\/span>, it is no wonder if he was intimidated and disposed to flee. <\/P> <\/p>\n 14. David said . . . Arise, and letus flee<\/B>David, anxious for the preservation of the city whichhe had beautified, and hopeful of a greater support throughout thecountry, wisely resolved on leaving Jerusalem.<\/P><\/p>\n And David said unto all his servants that [were] with him at Jerusalem<\/strong>,…. His courtiers and ministers of state, the officers of his household, as many of them as were with him in the city; for some of them very probably were in the country, as Ahithophel was, and some might be along with Absalom, whom he had invited to his peace offerings:<\/p>\n arise, and let us flee<\/strong>; it is much that a man of such courage and valour as David should be so intimidated at once as to make a flight as soon as he heard of a conspiracy forming against him:<\/p>\n for we shall not [else] escape from Absalom<\/strong>; his fears ran so high, that he fancied he would be upon them presently:<\/p>\n make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly<\/strong>; which still more clearly shows the panic he was in:<\/p>\n and bring evil upon us<\/strong>; kill them, or make them prisoners:<\/p>\n and smite the city with the edge of the sword<\/strong>; the inhabitants of it, should they make resistance.<\/p>\n Davids Flight. 2Sa. 15:14-28<\/span><\/p>\n 14 And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword,<\/p>\n 15 And the kings servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint.<\/p>\n 16 And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house.<\/p>\n 17 And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and tarried in a place that was far off. 20 Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee.<\/p>\n 21 And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the Lord liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.<\/p>\n 22 And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him.<\/p>\n 23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness. 25 And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation:<\/p>\n 26 But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.<\/p>\n 27 The king said also unto Zadok the priest, Art not thou a seer? return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.<\/p>\n 28 See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me.<\/p>\n 7.<\/p>\n Why did David leave ten women behind? 2Sa. 15:16<\/span><\/p>\n David left ten women of the concubines to keep his house in Jerusalem. He could hardly have known that Absalom would misuse these women and take them as a part of his household. Absalom was advised to do this by Ahithophel, who knew this would show all Israel that Absalom had completely severed his relations with his father. Absalom spread a tent on the top of his house and went in to his fathers concubines in the sight of all Israel (2Sa. 16:22<\/span>). David must have thought he would be able to return to the city, or else he would hardly have been willing to leave these women behind.<\/p>\n 8.<\/p>\n Why did David stop Ittai? 2Sa. 15:19<\/span><\/p>\n Ittai, the Gittite, was one of Davids soldiers and a former resident of Gath, as the name indicates. Gath was a Philistine city, and such a civil war as the conflict between Absalom and David would have no real meaning to a foreigner, David instructed him to go back and to serve with Absalom, since he was in the position of a mercenary anyway. The man was loyal to David, however; and David allowed him to go with him.<\/p>\n 9.<\/p>\n Who were Ittais brethren? 2Sa. 15:20<\/span><\/p>\n Ittais brethren were the Cherethites, Pelethites, and the other Gittites, six hundred men of which had come to David from Gath. They had passed in review before the king, and David was reluctant to subject them to the fortunes of a vagabond and fugitive. His action, at this point, was similar to the action of the Philistine lords who had stopped David and his men from going into the final battle with Saul (1Sa. 29:4<\/span>). The Cherethites and Pelethites were hired soldiers from Philistia who had been serving as Davids bodyguard. These men made excellent personal attendants for the king, since they had no political axes to grind and would hardly be a party to court intrigues and vendettas. Their situation would be different as they were fleeing in the midst of civil strife; but when David saw their determined purpose, he allowed them to go with him. Ittai assured David of his loyalty as well as the loyalty of his men, and David allowed them to go before him (2Sa. 15:21<\/span>).<\/p>\n 10.<\/p>\n What was the attitude of the people? 2Sa. 15:23<\/span><\/p>\n Israel was in deep distress; the people that were with David were weeping with a loud voice as they journeyed on towards the valley of the Jordan, and crossed the brook Kidron. They made their way towards the wilderness which lay around the Dead Sea. The affairs of the nation had turned from the prosperity and peace which they had known under David and were brought again to times similar to those in the early days of Saul when the people had to hide in caves, thickets, rocks, in high places, and in pits (1Sa. 13:6<\/span>).<\/p>\n 11.<\/p>\n Where was the brook Kidron? 2Sa. 15:23<\/span> b<\/p>\n The brook Kidron runs along the eastern side of the ancient wall of the city of Jerusalem. The valley begins about a mile north of the city as a mere depression in the surface. It turns southward just northeast of the city and becomes a smooth, broad valley covered with green fields and olive orchards. As it reaches a point opposite the northeastern corner of the city, it becomes quite narrow. The sides are steep, and the depth beneath the wall is as great as attained at any point farther along. The bed continues to descend, but the surface along the edge of the city also descends equally rapidly. Walls have been built across it at intervals to check the rush of the water and to accumulate some soil. After the brook Kidron passes Ophel, it widens again and makes room for additional building sites and vegetable gardens. A company leaving Jerusalem would have to cross this brook some place in order to go to a point east of the city. David and his followers made their sad journey down into this brook and up over the mount of Olives which lies just east of Jerusalem.<\/p>\n 12.<\/p>\n What plan did David formulate? 2Sa. 15:28<\/span><\/p>\n David asked Zadok, the priest, to take the Ark back into the city. He believed that if God blessed him in his flight from Absalom, he would have the opportunity to return and worship Him in Jerusalem. If God were not favorable to him, then he was willing that Gods will be done in his life. He asked Zadok to help him in his campaign by observing the movements of Absalom. Zadok, in turn was to report these to his son Ahimaaz and to Jonathan, the son of the other priest, Abiathar. These young men would serve as couriers to bring news to David. David planned to wait in the Jordan valley until he could find out what was happening in Jerusalem under Absalom.<\/p>\n (14) Let us flee.<\/strong>The sequel abundantly proved the wisdom of Davids course. Ahithophel also (2Sa. 17:1-2<\/span>) and Hushai (2Sa. 17:7-13<\/span>) recognised that delay would be fatal to Absaloms cause. His rebellion was thoroughly unreasonable, and must lose ground with time given for reflection. By this course also much of the horror of civil war was averted, and Jerusalem saved from the edge of the sword.<\/p>\n DAVID’S FLIGHT FROM JERUSALEM, 2Sa 15:13-30<\/span>.<\/p>\n 14<\/strong>. <\/strong> Arise, and let us flee <\/strong> His deep consciousness of that guilt which brought all this evil upon him unmanned him in the hour of danger, and that mighty warrior, whose sword had subdued all the nations around him, now for the first time turns his back to the foe. But, as Nathan had forewarned him, the evil was in his own house, (2Sa 12:11<\/span>,) and he felt there was no safety for him at his home.<\/p>\n 2Sa 15:14<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>Arise, and let us flee<\/em><\/strong><\/strong> As the danger was instant, David took his measures accordingly. The city was not in a condition to sustain a siege; and if it were, he did not care to expose a favourite city, built by himself, and the residence of the tabernacle of God, to all the evils incident to sieges, and almost inseparable from them. Nor, perhaps, did he care to trust the inhabitants of a place so long exposed to the taint of Absalom’s temptations; see Psalms 55<\/span>. Well acquainted with the young man’s impetuosity, and the madness of the people, David judged it much better to give way to the fury of the flood, than attempt to stem it in the fullness of its overflowing. <\/p>\n 2Sa 15:14 And David said unto all his servants that [were] with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not [else] escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.<\/p>\n Ver. 14. Arise, and let us flee.<\/strong> ] And so prevent, what in us lieth, the misery of a civil war, and the sacking of the city. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n And bring evil upon us.<\/strong> ] Impellatque super nos malum,<\/em> push evil upon us by a sudden surprise. This he spake, not for want of courage, witness <\/em> Psa 3:1-8 or of good company about him, but out of prudence, and willingness to serve God’s providence.<\/p>\n evil. Hebrew. App-44. <\/p>\n city. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), for its inhabitants. App-6. <\/p>\n Arise: 2Sa 19:9, Psa 3:1, *title <\/p>\n bring: Heb. thrust, Eze 46:18, Mat 11:12, *marg. Luk 10:15 <\/p>\n and smite: 2Sa 23:16, 2Sa 23:17, Psa 51:18, Psa 55:3-11, Psa 137:5, Psa 137:6 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: 1Sa 23:26 – David made haste 2Sa 17:16 – but speedily Psa 55:5 – Fearfulness Psa 55:7 – General Psa 64:4 – suddenly<\/p>\n 2Sa 15:14. David said, Arise, and let us flee As soon as he had received information of what had passed, he saw the danger was instant, and took his measures accordingly. He knew Absalom would lose no time to accomplish his design, and that the nature of it required him to strike home at once. David therefore orders his servants, soldiery, and friends, to depart from Jerusalem immediately. For, though the fort of Zion was strong, and he might have defended himself there for some time, yet he had not laid in provisions for a long siege; and, if he had been once besieged there, Absalom would have got speedy possession of his whole kingdom, whereas, if he marched abroad, he might raise a considerable army for his defence. Besides, the greatest part of Jerusalem could not be well defended against an enemy. And if it could, he did not care to expose a favourite city, built by himself, and the residence of the tabernacle of God, to all the evils incident to sieges, and almost inseparable from them. Nor, perhaps, did he incline to trust the inhabitants of a place so long exposed to the taint of Absaloms temptations. This, some think, appears from the 55th Psalm, which, they suppose, was meditated and poured out in prayer to God upon the discovery of Absaloms conspiracy. And from thence it is evident that he had discerned the seeds and workings of a conspiracy in the city, and that Ahithophel was at the bottom of it: and not only so, but that David foresaw his sudden and sad end. Delaney. For we shall not else escape from Absalom He was well acquainted with the young mans impetuosity, and the madness of the people, and therefore judged that the only method to be pursued, in order to safety, was to give way to the fury of the flood, and not attempt to stem it in the fulness of its overflowing.<\/p>\n 15:14 And David said unto all his servants that [were] with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not [else] escape from {h} Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.<\/p>\n (h) Whose heart he saw that Satan had so possessed that he would leave no mischief unattempted.<\/p>\n And David said unto all his servants that [were] with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not [else] escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword. 14. let us flee ] … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 15:14”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8415","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8415","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8415"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8415\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8415"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8415"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8415"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
18 And all his servants passed on beside him; all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men which came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.
19 Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile.<\/p>\n
24 And lo Zadok also, and all the Levites were with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God: and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city.<\/p>\nFuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"